1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spas and more particularly to a retractable speaker system for spas.
2. Description of the Related Art
Reservoirs of water such as pools, spas, bathtubs and the like (collectively referred to as “spas” or “spa”) are more commonly being constructed with features such as televisions and audio systems. For the occupants of the spa to hear the television or audio system, a number of speakers can be included around the spa, with a common location being the edge of the spa above the waterline. The speakers are arranged so that the sound they produce is directed toward the spa occupants and the sound can be heard over the noise of the spa's plumbing system.
One conventional way of mounting speaker systems around the edge of spas having Acrylic or fiberglass spa bodies is to form “ears” or extensions in the spa body and to mount a respective speaker in each of the ears. The ears are formed during the spa fabrication process and they provide fixed and permanent housings for the speakers. The ears are usually arranged around the edge of the spa and extend above the edge, with a typical location being in the corners of a rectangular/square spa. When the speakers are installed in the ears, their sound is directed in toward the spa occupants.
One disadvantage of the ear type spa speaker system is that the extra step of forming the ears in the acrylic or fiberglass body can add significant cost to the spa. Spas with ears also require additional storage and shipping space because the ears extend above the top surface of the spa. Shipping and storing of these spas can also be awkward because the ears prevent the spas from being securely stacked on top of one another. The ears can also make it difficult to produce a cover that closely fits over the spa, and the speakers in the ears are permanently fixed so that they cannot be retracted when not in use.
Other spa speaker systems have been developed that have speaker housings that extend from the top edge of the spa during use and can then be retracted below the edge when not in use. Holes are created around the edge of the spa and the speaker systems are mounted within the holes. When the speaker housings are fully retracted, their-top surface is substantially flush with the surface of the spa. The speaker housings can extend under the force of an air pump/cylinder or a hydraulic system, both of which are usually housed behind the wall of the spa body and push the speakers up from the bottom. The speaker systems can be connected to a single air or hydraulic driving system so that the air or hydraulic extenders can be simultaneously actuated to simultaneously extend the speaker housings.
One disadvantage of these types of speaker systems is that each speaker system requires its own air or hydraulic actuator, and requires at least one actuator driving system. The actuator and driving system adds significant cost and complexity, which can lead to failures. Space behind the wall of a spa is often a premium, particularly for portable spas. The plumbing and electrical systems consume most of the space behind the spa wall, leaving little space for speaker systems. Speaker systems with air and hydraulic actuators consume an excessive amount of space behind the spa wall because the air/hydraulic actuator is attached to the bottom of each speaker system, significantly increasing its overall length. Further, in many conventional speaker systems the speakers are not individually extendible, so that the sound produces by the speakers cannot be tailored to the location of the occupants in the spa.